Mission 2025: The Rebuild of the Punjab Kings
How I’d look to break the decade-long curse this Mega Auction
Those who know me well enough are well aware of my passionate, love-hate relationship with the Punjab Kings. I was yet to enter the double digits in age when Piyush Chawla served my first cricket heartbreak on a silver platter that left me in tears, but though they’ve long dried up for this team since then, my support hasn’t. I’ve seen it all: failing to qualify from 5-1 after the first 6 matches in 2018, Hardus Viljoen as our premier death bowler the following year, Chris Jordan’s short-run, Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Maxwell failing to clear the rope against the arch nemesis to have had at least one six to his name that year, Rahul Tewatia once more, and 4 off 6, you name it.
Sure, I’ve accepted the fact we’re the personification of the “mid team” archetype, but despite hate supporting them this year, they’re still near and dear to my heart. In essence, this season should’ve been my “That’s it! That seals the deal!” meme breaking point, but we go again for the 11th time as a proud member of the Holy Trinity, because why not.
Without any shame, I present to you Mission 2025: The Rebuild of the Punjab Kings.
Ideal Depth Chart
This depth chart does not take into account how many players can bat/bowl at several positions/phases, but assumes that all 25 slots will be filled.
Given the one-down batter generally faces more spin than pace in the middle overs, it’s important for them to be a spin hitter. It’s also vital that they are left-handed since it is easier for them to attack legspin than it is for right-handed batters, particularly the legbreak, which turns into the LHB and is easier for them to maneuver through the legside and play with the spin. A fast starter against all types of spin like prime Moeen Ali is most ideal to fit the mold of the #3 LHB spin hitter archetype.
Jarrod Kimber’s strong link-weak link theory comes to mind for stocking up on bowling depth, in that your team is only as good as the weakest link in the team, which in T20 cricket is bowling since each bowler can only bowl up to 4 overs, while in contrast, you can build a batting lineup around one or two big names. 3 routes based on this theory will be explored using this depth chart: Ariesball, Pant and Livingstone, and Pant.
But before, we must know what qualities to look for in players to target by looking at Mullanpur’s data.
Mullanpur Characteristics
In an era of the Indian Premier League where standardized flat pitches have become the norm across most venues, Mullanpur has the second lowest coefficient of restitution (cor) out of all the IPL venues since 2022: 0.572743.
The lower the cor, the more pace is lost off the surface, a stark indicator to target batters that aren’t merely flat track bullies, and bowlers who would best make use of Mullanpur’s average swing of 0.74° on offer.
In the spin department, PBKS must invest in attacking spinners who can not only consistently bowl a good length, but can also be on the fuller side of it (attacking good length; 4-5 meters). Though batters have recently started punishing the attacking good length regularly, data shows that it is still a very productive length for a spinner at Mullanpur.
Route #1: Ariesball
For each route, I’ll be exploring the options for roles I’ve defined for each position in the first choice XI. But I’m sure you’re wondering what is Ariesball exactly? Simple: a final hurrah with Maxwell, but we’ll get to that later.
1.Prabhsimran Singh (RHB-Spin hitter)
2.Rishabh Pant (LHB-Dynamic)
3.Domestic LHB Spin Hitter
4.Glenn Maxwell (RHB-Spin Hitter)
5.Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter
6.Shashank Singh (RHB-Finisher)
7.Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter (Impact Player Usage)
8.Domestic Attack Leader
9.Domestic Top-tail bowler
10.Overseas death specialist
11.Overseas attacking wristspinner
Dynamic/Pace Hitter LHB Domestic Opener:
Rishabh Pant (LHB-Dynamic) (25-30 crores)
Though most would say to use Pant in the middle order given that’s his primary role, opening is the easiest thing to do in T20 cricket, and data suggests he’d be the perfect complement to Prabhsimran Singh, not just because he’s left-handed, but because his numbers against swing are very good, so he can shield Prabhsimran, who still continues to struggle against any new ball movement.
Pant’s unorthodox style of play is tailor fit for maximizing the powerplay, and clearly the best way to get maximum output from him. Given PBKS have the biggest wallet by a country mile going into the Mega Auction once again with 110.5 crores to their name, it is expected that they’ll go all out for one of Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. It’s a no-brainer that they must leave the first set with Pant, but then again, we’re the Punjab Kings.
#3 Domestic LHB Spin Hitter:
Atharva Taide (LHB-Spin Hitter) (1-3 crores)
Albeit a small sample size, in matches where the average COR is < 0.6, his numbers are 28.5 | 170.15. A batter who continues to show promise in the domestic circuit and can also bowl SLA when needed as a matchup option and/or on surfaces where there’s a lot of turn on offer, I believe a breakthrough season is due for him this IPL, as ideally he’d now get consistent opportunities this season.
#4 Overseas Spin Hitter:
Glenn Maxwell (RHB-Spin Hitter) (15-20 crores)
Though a controversial figure within the Punjab Kings community and the fact that he’s in the home stretch of his career, my heart says that he must return to rest the demons of 2014 once and for all, and the brain wouldn’t necessarily disagree either. His strike rate against balls spinning > 2.5° since 2022 is 84th percentile (minimum 30 balls faced), and he has a high strike rate against all turn ranges.
His ability to attack even when the ball is sharply turning is a major reason for not just why he was the best overseas player for the Royal Challengers Bangalore before this year, but also why he’s a white ball great. He’s also been very productive against attacking good length spin, and given batters struggle to score off it at Mullanpur, he’d be a perfect counter against spinners looking to reap the rewards off that length there, and his high strike rate against defensive good length is an added bonus.
The founding principle of Ariesball is one last hurrah with Maxwell, for that is what the heart desires. Sure, wanting to bid up to 15-20 crores for him is extreme, but everything is fair in love and war. His price may also be volatile, as after all, all it takes is two teams to start a bidding war for your most beloved.
#5 Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter Option #1:
Liam Livingstone (RHB-Pace Hitter) (RTM for <10 crores)
Though touted to have become a pillar in England’s batting lineup by now, he hasn’t delivered on that promise, and it largely has to do with his continued struggles against spin. Not only are his numbers 19.13 | 90.53 against it since last year, he’s a negative matchup against every type of spin:
vs legspin: 15 | 97.22
vs left-arm wristspin: 18.5 | 92.5
vs offspin: 24.5 | 100
vs SLA: 20 | 77.52
His particular struggle against SLAs are well known, but it’s only continued to regress. Bringing spin early on is enough to contain him, as his first 10-ball SR against spin is 92.22 compared to 139.6 against pace. It’s not like he’s compensating for this by upping his death hitting skillset either, specifically short and hard lengths at 140+ KPH, against which his numbers are 17.5 | 152.17.
He’s had a recent mini resurgence of sorts since Australia toured England in September, reminding us of just how high his ceiling is, hence why he should be RTMed only if he doesn’t go over 10 crores. His numbers of 20.74 | 209.57 at the death and 32.86 | 166.18 against pace since last year also further evidence this, but otherwise other options can potentially be bought at a similar/cheaper price and provide a better output than Livingstone’s current version.
#5 Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter Option #2:
Sherfane Rutherford (LHB-Dynamic) (<10 crores)
Whichever team buys him, he’s a sure shot starter for them. Though he’s been a part of 4 teams already, he’s yet to finally announce himself on the IPL stage, with just 10 appearances to date. His knock of 68 (39) against New Zealand at Tarouba in this year’s T20 World Cup on a surface where every other batter struggled to get going is enough reason to establish that he’d be a great fit for Mullanpur as his home venue. Since 2023, his numbers at the death are 29.6 | 201.82, and 29.5 | 172.5 against pace, which is all the more reason why he’d be an excellent alternative to Livingstone.
#5 OS Dynamic/Pace Hitter Option #3:
Tim Seifert (RHB-Pace Hitter) (<3 crores)
Improved range in the past 18-months coupled by numbers of 33.34 | 151.78 against pace since last year, Seifert could be a solid budget pickup for less than 3 crores.
#5 Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter Option #4:
Josh inglis (RHB-Pace Hitter) (<3 crores)
Since the inaugural season of the Hundred, I’ve rated Inglis, but as the numbers suggest, a breakthrough year is long overdue now. Against legspin, his numbers are 51.4 | 169.08, and he also thrives against away-spin (legspin, SLA), with numbers of 49.33 | 159.14 since last year. He’s also quite good against medium pace as well, with numbers of 21.66 | 139.78 in this period. Australia have invested a lot in him since his international debut in 2022, but he’s yet to finally start delivering consistent performances. There’s a good chance he’ll be picked up as a budget option, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he finally starts making a name for himself in his debut IPL season.
#5 Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter Option #5:
Glenn Phillips (RHB-Pace Hitter) (3-6 crores)
With a strike rate of 211.65 at the death since last year, he too will likely end up being a good budget pickup once again even if he’s on the end spectrum of the 3-6 crore range, but all is well considering how good he is in the field.
#7 Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter Option #1:
Ashutosh Sharma (RHB-Pace Hitter) (RTM for 3-8 crores)
His numbers of 29 | 189.8 at the death and 37 | 168.18 against pace since last year are largely due to his junk hitting ability which is up there with Shivam Dube’s, but he can also bat well on trickier surfaces, with numbers of 37 | 168.18 in matches where the average COR is < 0.6, coupled by a first-10-ball SR of 145.87 in this period. Given the dearth of local finishing options, he’ll likely be a bit overpriced, which is why I’d at most go up to 8 crores for him.
#7 Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter Option #2:
Jitesh Sharma (RHB-Finisher) (RTM for 3-10 crores)
Though it was his first underwhelming IPL season after back-to-back seasons of consistently playing impactful cameos, it’s likely there’d still be a big bidding war for him, given he’s well adept against both pace and spin, with numbers of 21.9 | 155.87 and 24.33 | 144.55 since last year respectively. Barring left-arm wristspin, he strikes high against all types of spin, making Jitesh an attractive commodity I’d be willing to pay more for than Ashutosh, at a cap of 10 crores. With spin being bowled at the death slightly more often in the past 2 seasons due to teams starting to recognize that most finishers are deficient against it, Jitesh’s spin-hitting skillset is worth paying up to an extra 2 crores more for than Ashutosh, as it is coupled with death numbers of 21.5 | 189.7 and a first-10-ball SR of 145.87 in the same period. Fortune does favor the brave as they say, but this is the Punjab Kings we’re talking about.
#7 Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter Option #3:
Abdul Samad (RHB-Finisher) (3-6 crores)
In matches where the average COR is < 0.6, his numbers are 26.17 | 168.82, coupled by his pace numbers of 23.05 | 170.43, 18.67 | 166.81 at the death and a first-10-ball SR of 161.49 since last year, unless Sunrisers Hyderabad use their lone RTM on him, Samad would be another solid option to keep in mind, as its likely he won’t be too out of reach (if only we can say this about the trophy as well after the Mega Auction).
#7 Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter Option #4:
Abhinav Manohar (RHB-Finisher) (<3 crores)
With numbers of 20 | 152.17 against pace and 13.13 | 166.67 at the death since last year, if all other options are taken, then Manohar can potentially be a decent budget pickup, as in this year’s Maharaja Trophy, he also smashed 19 fours and 52 sixes, but he’ll have to work on being a much quicker starter than his first-10-ball SR of 110.34 in this period.
#8 Domestic Attack Leader:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RM-Attack Leader) (<10-15 crores):
Despite his decreased pace in recent times, his economy rate in the last 2 seasons is 7.38 in matches where there’s >0.7° swing, and given the average swing at Mullanpur is 0.74°, it is safe to say that he’d thrive with such a venue to call home.
#9 Domestic Top-tail Bowler Option #1:
Arshdeep Singh (LFM-Top-tail) (RTM for <10 crores)
Even though he’s the pride of Punjab, it has to be recognized that Arshdeep has regressed in the past 2 years, which I wrote about during the T20 WC. If he’s in excess of 10 crores, he’d be overpriced at that point, so despite his ceiling and left-arm angle he provides, he shouldn’t be RTMed because of 3 major reasons: the powerplay, the death, and RHBs.
Though Arshdeep has been taking wickets more frequently since last year, it’s come at the cost of no longer being economical, especially at the death. Considering Punjab King’s continued woes in this phase with the ball, it’s a major red flag, which is why he shouldn’t be RTMed for more than 10 crores.
#9 Domestic Top-tail Bowler Option #2:
Tushar Deshpande (RFM-Top-tail) (<10 crores)
One of the best pacers last season, he’s the best alternative to Arshdeep should he be too expensive. Given he’s not a regular in the Indian setup, Deshpande will highly likely be cheaper than him as well. His balls per wicket (BpW) in overs 12-20 since last year is 11.34, and it is all because he started bowling shorter last season as Rishikeshwaran C tweeted, which helps him to provide all phase value in acting as an enforcer in the middle overs due to his ability to bowl upto 140-145 KPH as well.
#10 Overseas Death Specialist Option #1:
Nathan Ellis (RFM-Death Overs) (RTM for 3-6 crores)
Ellis has the potential to become an elite T20 death specialist in the next few years, and the numbers speak for themselves. An economy rate of 8.41 in this phase since 2023, and a 45.24% yorker attempt success rate, which is the best among pacers who’ve attempted at least 30 yorkers in the IPL in the last 2 seasons, compared to the league average success rate of 30.11%. This is complemented by his ability to bowl upwards of early 140 KPHs, and bring his pace all the way down to the late 90 KPHs for his variations, reminiscent of prime Dwayne Bravo.
A recent case in point of his ceiling at the death is the rain-affected 3rd T20I against New Zealand at Auckland this year, where he took figures of 0-11 despite small boundary dimensions, showcasing his big pace differential with the offcutter. He also has the back-of-the-hand variation as well, and can evolve into a top-tail bowler bowling outswing to RHBs with the new ball. Despite the well-known bias teams have for Australian players, Ellis will likely not be a beneficiary of it this Mega Auction, making it easier to RTM him for 3-6 crores, especially since he’s yet to have a proper breakout IPL season. It’d be unwise to let go off him, but then I immediately remember I’m asking the Punjab Kings to be smart.
#10 Overseas Death Specialist Option #2:
Nuwan Thushara (RFM-Death Overs) (3-6 crores)
With a BpW of 14.66 in the powerplay and 8.64 at the death, though he’s not as anomalous as his fellow countrymen Matheesha Pathirana with the slingy action, he can get more dip than Lasith Malinga due to being more round-arm than him, making his yorkers even more difficult to play as was often on display in this year’s South Africa T20. Though his yorker success rate is just 22.5%, he mixes them up with
bouncers and slower bouncers, while in the powerplay, he swings the ball away from the RHB.
#11 Overseas Attacking Wristspinner Option #1:
Adam Zampa (LBG-Middle Overs) (10-15 crores):
Likely the best overseas leggie up for grabs in the Mega Auction, he’s 58th percentile in bowling good length since 2023 (minimum 400 balls bowled). Though he’s fuller than average in 34,39% of his deliveries constituting this length since 2022 compared to 27.07% for the average IPL spinner, his fuller balls yield better results than for most spinners. He’s also ultra attacking, with 59.76% of his balls being non-short and bowled on stump line compared to 47.69% for the average IPL spinner, perfectly fitting the bill for the attacking wristspinner PBKS must acquire in the auction.
#11 Overseas Attacking Wristspinner Option #2:
Noor Ahmed (LWS-Middle Overs) (10-15 crores):
Given he played for the Saint Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League this year, it’s likely that Punjab may go all out for him instead of Zampa, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing either. His BpW against LHBs since last year is 12.63, and his overall economy rate in this period is 7.19, and 7 in the middle overs. A major issue with Noor has been his accuracy, leading him to bowl several wides throughout his spells, but its improved this year. In the CPL, he bowled just 8 wides in 12 innings, and has bowled just 1 wide on average this year, compared to more than 1 in previous years.
Last time PBKS were after an Afghan wristspinner, they got RTM’ed, but though the Gujarat Titans do have 1 RTM up their sleeve, it's highly unlikely it’ll happen again, which should make for an easier shopping spree for Preity Zinta this time around.
Route #2: Pant and Livingstone
1.Prabhsimran Singh (RHB-Spin Hitter)
2.Rishabh Pant (LHB-Dynamic)
3.Domestic LHB Spin Hitter
4.Domestic Spin Hitter
5.Liam Livingstone (RHB-Pace Hitter)
6.Shashank Singh (RHB-Finisher)
7.Overseas Pace All-Rounder
8.Domestic Attack Leader
9.Domestic Top-tail bowler
10.Overseas death specialist
11.Overseas attacking wristspinner
All options previously discussed for specific roles still present in this first choice XI apply. Instead, only new roles will be discussed for the next two routes.
#4 Domestic Spin Hitter:
Mahipal Lomror (LHB-Spin Hitter) (3-6 crores):
Though he may likely go for < 3-6 crores anyway, he can still be a good investment even if a bit on the pricey side. On top of being left-handed in complementing Livingstone, he can also shield him against all types of spin but SLA, which could end up being a major concern given how bad Livingstone is against SLA as well, but Lomror’s overall spin numbers of 18.17 | 178.69 since last year highlight his potential to be a good partner for Livingstone, with his first-10-ball SR of 139.52 also highlighting that Lomror would be able to keep up with Livingstone’s tempo from the get go.
#7 Overseas Pace All-Rounder:
Romario Shepherd (RHB-Finisher) (RMF-Top-tail) (<10 crores)
His hitting ability has continued to improve, with numbers of 31.14 | 193.49 at the death, 26.57 | 171.43 against pace, and an added bonus of 37.5 | 166.67 against legspin since last year, he can also provide some bowling value, namely in the powerplay with outswing against RHBs. Though he does have a slingy yorker for death bowling, his success rate is only 14.81%.
Route #3: Pant
1.Prabhsimran Singh (RHB-Spin Hitter)
2.Rishabh Pant (LHB-Dynamic)
3.Domestic LHB Spin Hitter
4.Domestic Spin Hitter
5.Overseas Dynamic/Pace Hitter
6.Shashank Singh (RHB-Finisher)
7.Domestic Finisher/Pace Hitter (Impact Player Usage)
8.Domestic Attack Leader
9.Overseas Top-tail bowler
10.Overseas death specialist
11.Overseas attacking wristspinner
#9 Overseas Top-tail bowler Option #1:
Spencer Johnson (LF-Top-tail) (<10 crores)
Mullanpur’s conditions would make Spencer say that famous line from the Wizard of Oz: “There’s no place like home.”
Indeed, there’s no place like home like Mullanpur would be for him in the IPL, a safe haven for the brutality bowlers are at the receiving end of most of the time now. With a high release point due to his tall and muscular build, he naturally hits the deck hard frequently, as in matches since last year where length data is available, back of a length and good length constitute for 52.08% of the deliveries he’s bowled. Complemented by the ability to move the ball both ways (primarily inward), he’s an option that provides all phase value, and that too most likely at a great price.
With a BpW of 14.62 in overs 12-20, an economy rate of 7.15 in the powerplay and 7.99 at the death since last year, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s bought and ends up not just being the better Johnson to have played for PBKS, but also helps end the curse the other Johnson created over a decade ago now.
#9 Overseas Top-tail bowler Option #2:
Adam Milne (RF-Top-tail) (<10 crores)
Even though he’s injury prone, Milne is still an excellent package. With the ability to swing the ball both ways at good pace complemented by the back of the hand and offcutter variations with a noticeable pace differential at the death, it’s hard to say that he wouldn’t already have been a well-sought after commodity if not for constant injury setbacks. He’s also had a resurgence since last year, with an overall BpW of 14.61 and a powerplay economy rate of 7.97, so if Spencer is out of range, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a gamble on Milne.
#9 Overseas Top-tail bowler Option #3:
Reece Topley (LFM-Top-tail) (1-3 crores)
Barring being even more injury prone and not as quick these days, Topley is cut from the same cloth as Milne. However, if one of him and Spencer have already been bought, Topley can be a good backup option to have at a great bargain, as his BpW in overs 12-20 since last year is 10,46, and 12.64 against LHBs in general.
Overseas Backups
As stated in the Ideal Depth Chart section, stocking up on bowling depth is pertinent given that the team can only be as good as the worst player on the team, which is why all the overseas backup options should be pacers, and that too 2 with skillsets for the powerplay, and the other 2 with skillsets for death bowling. It should be noted that the backups apply to all 3 routes.
Left-arm swing bowler: Topley (LFM-Top-tail) (1-3 crores)
Seam/Swing bowler Option #1:
Richard Ngarava (LFM-Top-tail) (Base price)
A top-tail commodity yet to be sought after in T20 leagues, he finds new ball success by consistently bowling a good length, which constitute for 30.92% of his deliveries bowled since last year. He provides value at the death with his mix-ups of bouncers and yorkers, which was on display during the infamous upset against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Seam/Swing bowler Option #2:
Matt Henry (RFM-Powerplay) (2-3 crores)
An inswing bowler, Henry’s numbers in the powerplay since last year is 20.63 | 6.87. His high release point also provides an added bonus of enforcer value in the middle overs, a phase in which he generally looks to hit the deck hard, with 39.47% of his deliveries coming off a good length in the same period.
Seam/Swing bowler Option #3:
Daniel Worrall (RFM-Powerplay) (Base price)
Though a very left-field pick at first glance for most, he thrives on surfaces conducive for pacers. Playing for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in this year’s SA20, Gqeberha was his home ground, a venue known for low-scoring affairs due to the pitch’s traditionally slow nature, and Worrall’s numbers there were 18.57 | 8.12. The Men’s Hundred this year became infamous for the high movement on offer due to surfaces being on the grassier side with the seam on the ball also supposedly bigger than normal, and Worrall ended up bowling a perfect 10 to Tom-Kohler Cadmore, primarily by seaming it away from him off a good length, which is his modus operandi, with 47.74% of his deliveries coming off it since last year.
His powerplay numbers in this period are 20.56 | 6.64, and has a good record against both LHBs and RHBs, with numbers of 17.07 | 6.60 and 20.72 | 7.19, all numbers he should find easy to replicate at Mullanpur. A bidding war should not happen for Worrall, so it should be easy to buy him for his base price of 1.5 crores, and perhaps turn Mullanpur to a fortress with his services availed when needed (though we should first worry about qualifying for the playoffs again).
Seam/Swing bowler Option #4:
Matthew Forde (RMF-Top-tail) (Base price)
A part of the Saint Lucia Kings since 2022, given he’s now a part of the West Indian setup, it’s likely that PBKS will finally bring him over this Mega Auction, and it’d be about time if so. Though he’s an inswing bowler that primarily operates in the 130 KPH range, he has potential at the death, courtesy an offcutter he can bowl as low as in the early 100 KPHs, a back-of-the-hand variation he’s recently developed, and a yorker that is still a work in progress. Despite meager numbers of 32.76 | 7.34 in the powerplay, 14.64 | 11.2 at the death, and 20.04 | 9.02 against RHBs since last year, though long-term projects and Punjab Kings don’t go hand-in-hand at all (with the exception of Prabhsimran), I believe he would be an excellent investment at base price, especially since he’d get to call Mullanpur his home.
Yorker death bowler: Thushara (RFM-Death Overs) (3-6 crores)
Hard length + variation death bowler: Milne (RF-Top-tail) (<10 crores)
Domestic Backups
#3 Spin Hitter Options: Vishnu Vinod, Ayush Badoni, Priyansh Arya, Naman Dhir, Arjan Juyal, Kartik Sharma, Madhav Kaushik
#4 Spin Hitter Options: Abdul Bazith
#4 Pace Hitter Options: Prateek Yadav, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Smaran Ravichandran, Manoj Bhandage, Manohar, Sameer Rizvi
For the finger spinner, Harpreet Brar should ideally be bought back for 1-3 crores. Sai Kishore will be more expensive, and though Brar’s length distribution is inferior to his, he is still a good overall package with his high release point and ability to extend the batting a bit as a #8 batter.
However, if he’s somehow out of range, the following options should be: Manav Suthar, Swapnil Singh, Manimaran Siddharth, Abid Mushtaq, and Harsh Tyagi
Top-tail bowler options: Vaibhav Arora, Abhilash Shetty, Vidwath Kaverappa, Sandeep Warrier, Raj Limbani
LAP New ball options: Naman Tiwari, Chetan Sakariya, Akash Singh, Gujrapneet Singh, Abhilash Shetty, Ashwani Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sushant Mishra
Attacking wristspinner options: Vipraj Nigam, Zeeshan Ansari, Suyash Sharma, Mayank Markande, Prashant Solanki, Himanshu Sharma, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Shreyas Chavan
Given I’ve been a fan of this team for over a decade now, I know it's wishful thinking that the management must be putting in similar effort into the thought process. Though they say miracles happen, us veteran fans know they don’t happen for this team, but they also say that one can dream, as I have for the rebuild of the Punjab Kings.
Thanks to @RishikeshwaranC for computing the data, and @kartcric for his scouting expertise